On-vehicle breakdown-warning report system

ABSTRACT

An on-vehicle breakdown-warning report system is disclosed. an occurrence of break-down is detected and judged based on a signal in an electronic control system installed on a control apparatus for an engine ignition system, a charging system, an engine fuel system, a engine cooling system, a power transmission system, and an oil lubricating system of an automobile or a diagnosis display system; and a diagnostic data is sent to an information terminal device of a diagnosis and maintenance agency or a service company having a diagnosis and maintenance agency as a contents information by using an on-vehicle mobile communication apparatus, and an action for an emergency measures and a maintenance schedule is asked.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application is a continuation application Ser. No. 10/687,866,filed Oct. 20, 2003 which is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/941,654,filed Aug. 30, 2001 (now abandoned).

The present invention relates to a vehicle breakdown-warning anddiagnosis-report system by which the request of the emergency measuresis enabled, in which the impossible road running of the vehicle or thebreakdown level with the possibility to become a running trouble can beautonomously judged from the signal level obtained from sensors orelectric/electronic wirings, and this break-down information can betransmitted to a diagnosis maintenance agency with on-vehicle movingobject communication device.

Diagnosis information on the OBD-2 (On-Board Diagnosis phase-2) systemfor the United States and the domestic-oriented on-vehicle diagnosissystem is output with the special obtaining diagnosis device, and hasbeen used as maintenance information with CPU diagnosis device of an offboard in car maintenance agency so far. However, the on-vehiclediagnosis device is a device of making to the obligation which restrictsindependence so that the exhaust deterioration rate should not exceedthree times the regulation value, and not a device for the break-downdiagnosis in the current state. The execution of the on-vehiclebreak-down diagnosis is difficult, and not put to practical use fromtwining with the maker guarantee. These diagnosis information is notdisplayed with on-board as a diagnosis result.

The system by which the user can reserve regular check of the car to theMotor Vehicle Department gate of dealer is established, and theon-vehicle device for the vehicle diagnosis according to diagnosisinformation is put on the market for such a current state by using theInternet communication according to press release information recently.Thus, the development of the on-vehicle device of the breakdownforesight diagnosis has become real at last.

On the other hand, control diagnosis information on the vehicle isacquired in real-time and transmitted in cooperate with the cellularphone using a short distance wireless communication and packetcommunication in high speed and with low price via Internet, which isbecoming into practical and available technology today.

The remote diagnostic system constructed by using the above-mentionedtechnology is disclosed in, for example, the Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open No. 10-167029, the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.5-332888 and the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-194095. Ina well known each example, diagnostic module arranged outside of thevehicle acquires the data when the vehicle breaks down by communicatingwith the wireless module installed in the vehicle, and, as a result, thetechnology which diagnoses the break-down remotely is indicated.

In the situation like the above-mentioned, when the on-board faultdiagnosis equipment reports to the driver that there occurs a thebreakdown leading to the possibility to become a running trouble or thepresent running, there must be some means to show the process by whichthe driver can promptly transmit abnormal data to maintenance agency ofbest in the scene and the maintenance agency decides the driver thecounter measure.

Especially, an important point is to make the driver select bestmaintenance agency. According to said prior art, the driver communicatesonly with the predetermined maintenance agency, or performs the wirelesscommunication with the diagnosis module in the corresponding maintenanceagency. Therefore, the above-mentioned prior art was merely a wirelessmethod of the conventional one in which the diagnosis module and thevehicle is connected by a cable. This method is not a service systemwhich stood in consumer's side where the driver can judge and selectsthe sales day of a plurality of maintenance agencys, the maintenancecharge and the content of service, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide the best means forselecting a maintenance agency even like the above-mentioned.

The control system of the vehicle which consists of the powertrain whichconsists of the engine and the power transmission device, the wheel, thesteering wheel, the brake, and the suspension outputs the control datain a fixed operating condition respectively. In case that these controldata are compared with a permissible data area and the control datadeviates from this, abnormal data reporting process installed in thevehicle detects this diagnostic result. Abnormal data reporting processgives the driver warning by using the on-vehicle display. in addition,abnormal data reporting process informs the information peripheraldevice of the service company of abnormal data information to which thecareer to data abnormal concerned is shown via the mobile object datacommunication terminal, the Internet, and public line. In the servicecompany, an abnormal analysis process diagnoses the break-down of thecar from abnormal data, retrives one or more maintenance agencys whichcan repair the breakdown, and provides the result to the said on-vehicledisplay. At this time, the answer of no of the estimation of nonecessary, the exchange parts, and the check maintenance of maintenanceand the check measurements necessary is transmitted. The driver seesthis, and it is decided whether to do the maintenance order.

Leadership can be taken for the automotive driver to do the maintenanceorder, and which maintenance agency to be selected. That is. The servicecompany can start up a new business which uses a pertinent database bymemorizing abnormal data from the each one movement car and themaintenance situation in the information peripheral device of theservice company as a vehicle information data base. For instance,service by which DIRECT MAIL is printed is thought for the owner of thevehicle which agrees with a certain retrieval data. Moreover, becausethe break-down diagnosis is done beforehand, the time of the break-downdiagnosis can be saved for maintenance agency. In addition, the scheduleof the servicing easily to receive the maintenance order beforehand.Thus, the present invention provides the business model where the profitis generated for tri-party of the driver, the service company, andmaintenance agency.

The business model in which the software which consists ofabove-mentioned abnormal data reporting process, an abnormal, analyticalprocess, and the vehicle information data base and the business by whichthe servicing according to the vehicle breakdown foresight diagnosis andthis is diagnosed with this software are used as a aid of the checkmaintenance business in conventional maintenance agency becomes a meansto solve the problems of the present invention.

The present invention provides the device of the next concretely fly.

The present invention provides an on-vehicle breakdown-warning reportsystem, in which an occurrence of break-down is detected and judgedbased on a signal in an electronic control system installed on a controlapparatus for an engine ignition system, a charging system, an enginefuel system, a engine cooling system, a power transmission system, andan oil lubricating system of an automobile or a diagnosis displaysystem; and a diagnostic data is sent to an information terminal deviceof a diagnosis and maintenance agency or a service company having adiagnosis and maintenance agency as a contents information by using anon-vehicle mobile communication apparatus, and an action for anemergency measures and a maintenance schedule is asked, and provides anon-vehicle breakdown-warning report system, in which an occurrence ofbreak-down is detected and judged based on a signal in an electroniccontrol system installed on a control apparatus for an engine ignitionsystem, a charging system, an engine fuel system, a engine coolingsystem, a power transmission system, and an oil lubricating system of anautomobile or a diagnosis display system; a diagnostic data is sent toan information terminal device of plural diagnosis and maintenanceagencies or a service companies having plural diagnosis and maintenanceagencies as a contents information by using an on-vehicle mobilecommunication apparatus, and an action for an emergency measures and amaintenance schedule is asked; and an estimate for maintenance from thediagnosis and maintenance agencies is received and the estimate ispresented to a user, the user is allowed to select a diagnosis andmaintenance agency.

The present invention provides a vehicle break-down diagnosis andmaintenance diagnosis system, in which by comparing a control data of apowertrain and vehicle control system in a designated operationcondition with an allowable zone for an ordinary operation condition,when a break-down diagnostic processing program installed in a vehicleprovides a diagnosis result reporting that the control data is locatedoutside the allowable zone, the diagnosis result is reported to a driverwith an on-vehicle display panel; the break-down diagnostic processingprogram outputs a diagnostic data karte recording a history reaching anabnormal data, and transmits the diagnostic data karte via a mobile datacommunication terminal; and an answer from a maintenance agencyregarding a necessity for maintenance, an estimate for renewal parts andinspection and maintenance work, and a necessity for inspection andmeasurement is received, and an inspection and maintenance work isordered.

The present invention provides a vehicle breakdown-warning reportsystem, having a vehicle maintenance information apparatus comprising

a break-down diagnosis apparatus for outputting a diagnostic result fora control system including powertrain control and vehicle control; anon-vehicle panel for displaying a diagnostic result; an on-vehiclemobile data communication terminal apparatus; and a maintenanceinformation acquisition apparatus for sending a diagnostic result of thecomponent part forming the control system through the mobile datacommunication terminal apparatus from the on-vehicle panel, and forsending a request for maintenance information to a maintenance agency;and further having a server computer of the maintenance agencycomprising an information acquisition means for acquiring information ofa maintenance agency inputting a transmission information from saidmobile data communication terminal apparatus via Internet; saidbreak-down diagnosis apparatus; and a maintenance information serviceterminal for answering the maintenance information requested to beserved, and provides a vehicle break-down diagnosis and maintenancediagnosis system, in which by comparing a control data of a powertrainand vehicle control system in a designated operation condition with anallowable zone for an ordinary operation condition, when a break-downdiagnostic processing program installed in a vehicle provides adiagnosis result reporting that the control data is located outside theallowable zone, the diagnosis result is reported to a driver with anon-vehicle display panel; the break-down diagnostic processing programoutputs a diagnostic data karte recording a history reaching an abnormaldata, and transmits the diagnostic data karte via a mobile datacommunication terminal; and an answer from a maintenance agencyregarding a necessity for maintenance, an estimate for renewal parts andinspection and maintenance work, and a necessity for inspection andmeasurement is received, and an inspection and maintenance work isordered.

The present invention provides a vehicle maintenance information systemhaving a vehicle maintenance information apparatus comprising: abreak-down diagnosis apparatus for outputting a diagnostic result for acontrol system including powertrain control and vehicle control; anon-vehicle panel for displaying a diagnostic result; an on-vehiclemobile data communication terminal apparatus; and a maintenanceinformation acquisition apparatus for sending a diagnostic result of thecomponent part forming the control system through the mobile datacommunication terminal apparatus from the on-vehicle panel, and forsending a request for maintenance information to a maintenance agency;and further having a server of the maintenance agency comprising aserver for acquiring information of a maintenance agency inputting atransmission information from the mobile data communication terminalapparatus via Internet; and a maintenance information service terminalfor answering the maintenance information requested to be served.

The server computer is characterized as having a memory apparatus forstoring a diagnostic data obtained as a diagnostic result by comparingthe control data for the individual component parts or the allowablezone.

The vehicle maintenance information apparatus is characterized as havinga inspection and maintenance work ordering system for inputting therequest for estimation of the charge for inspection and maintenance workand ordering the inspection and maintenance work.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a configuration of the business model concerning thediagnosis and maintenance of the vehicle.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration of the business model including maintenancecompany for the diagnosis maintenance of the vehicle.

FIG. 3 shows contents of the vehicle information data base which bringsinput past diagnosis career information together in the list form, asfor a plurality of members' cars.

FIG. 4 shows other contents of the vehicle information data base whichbrings input past diagnosis career information together in the listform, as for a plurality of members' cars.

FIG. 5 shows an example of maintenance company information stored in thememory as a data base.

FIG. 6 shows the situation that warning of an abnormal circulating watertemperature by the above-mentioned low coolant is displayed on display.

FIG. 7 shows a configuration of the procedure by which the maintenancecompany list is notified the order ahead is shown as the server computerestimates the charges for part procurement, exchange and the servicingare compared according to break-down information received from the user.

FIG. 8 shows an example of maintenance company candidate list receivedfrom the service company by the user with his or her cellular phone.

FIG. 9 shows a configuration of the procedure for displaying themaintenance manual on the on-vehicle screen in response to thecirculating water temperature abnormality report, and the procedure forinspection and exchange of the sensor for the thermometer by the user ormaintenance company.

FIG. 10 shows a configuration of the procedure by which the maintenancemanual is downloaded in response to the circulating water temperatureabnormality report.

FIG. 11 shows a configuration of the procedure by which the servicecompany notifies the manual in response to the maintenance manualdown-loading demand.

FIG. 12 shows an example of displaying downloaded maintenance manual.

FIG. 13 shows a configuration of the procedure for off-line diagnosis ofvehicles.

FIG. 14 shows the processing of the data synchronization when the memorycard is inserted again.

FIG. 15 shows a configuration of procedures for estimating the trade-inprice of the used car.

FIG. 16 shows a configuration of procedures for vehicle abnormalityanalysis when doing an elaborate break-down diagnosis.

FIG. 17 shows an example of displaying the running test pattern.

FIG. 18 shwos a configuration of the direct mail print service business.

FIG. 19 shows the processing flow of abnormal data reporting process.

FIG. 20 shows the processing flow of an abnormality analysis process.

FIG. 21 shows the processing flow of the introduction fee claim processaccording to maintenance company.

FIG. 22 shows the processing flow of the maintenance order process.

FIG. 23 shows the processing flow of maintenance manual display process.

FIG. 24 shows the processing flow of maintenance manual downloadprocess.

FIG. 25 shows the processing flow of the abnormal data copy process.

FIG. 26 shows the processing flow of the used car assessment process.

FIG. 27 shows the processing flow of an abnormality analysis processwhen an elaborate break-down diagnosis is done.

FIG. 28 shows the processing flow of running pattern display process.

FIG. 29 shows the processing flow of the print service process.

FIG. 30 shows the information and cash flow on the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereafter, the present invention will be concretely explained withreference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration of vehicle maintenance information system 1.Vehicle maintenance information system 1 is composed of the serversystem 10 (information peripheral device) which contains vehiclebreakdown warning report system 11 and server computer 100 of theservice company. The owner or the driver of the car becomes the user ofthis server system 100. Abnormal data report system 121 which collectsthe break-down diagnosis result, cellular phone 111 having the functionof communication with the Internet, display 110 which is an on-vehicledisplay panel, and car navigation system 109 are installed in car 104.Server system 10, having a computer 100 as described before, receivesthe vehicle information including abnormal data from plural users'vehicles 104, 105, 106 and 107 by public line 108 via Internet 103, anduses this information to diagnose the break-down, and stores them in thedata base defined in memory 101 as vehicle information 102.

The service company, which assumes the consulting of the servicing to bea main business, possesses server computer 100, and receives the vehiclediagnosis data from a plurality of users' cars 104 to 107. The driver ofthe car corresponds to the member for the service company. The diagnosisdata of the vehicle that each member has is received by public line 108via Internet 103. Here, the countermeasure concerning the servicing istransmitted by retrieving from the vehicle information data base 102where a past diagnosis and the maintenance career data are stored inmemory 101.

Controller 113 which consists of the traffic monitor camera 116 of thesurrounding of radar 115 for the vehicular gap detection besides engine118, brake 119, and change gear 117 and the car is installed in user'scar 104 in figure. The vehicle diagnosis data from these controllers iscollected by <bus> 114 in the vehicle and <security Gate Way(G/W)> 120by abnormal data report system 121. Security Gate Way 120 is used asfirewall to operate neither the engine nor the change gear, etc. mistakeCAR NAVIGATION SYSTEM etc.

car navigation system 109 and cellular phone 111 are connected to eachother by network 112. network 112 is a short distance wireless, forexample, bluetooth etc. or it can be a cable network. The user interfacebetween the car navigation system and the driver are performed throughdisplay 110.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration in the above-mentioned business modelincluding a plurality of maintenance companies (maintenance agency). Inthe same way, maintenance companies 131 to 133 is connected to servercomputer 100 of server system via public line 108 and Internet 103.maintenance company data base 130 exists in memory 101, and the featureof each maintenance company, the business day of a store, and the place,etc. are memorized.

FIG. 3 shows an example of bringing the vehicle diagnosis data from aplurality of members' cars together in vehicle information data base102. In figure, 140 designates a member number and a member name, and142 designates a manufacturing number of the car, and 147 designatesfactors to which the degree with the danger which becomes a runningtrouble at that time is shown careers of the judgment of the diagnosismaintenance result and the exchange parts 143, 144, 145 and 146 thewhere to make contact address 141. For instance, replenishment and eachexchange is demanded in manufacturing number AAY9424678 of the membernumber 001 and the car due to the low coolant and the brake friction padwear. In figure, only cooling water, engine oil, the brake friction pad,and the change gear have been described. However, information on thesecar components has the possibility for all part information which can beacquired through the network in the car etc. to be registered. Moreover,only the member name and the where to make contact address have beendescribed as member information in figure, and it is also possible toregister information on the own house telephone number, the office, andthe office telephone number, etc. excluding this. Moreover, it can beassumed the composition by which the manufacturing maker, the partsmanufacturing maker of the car, and information on the kind etc. of thecar are added as vehicle information.

FIG. 4 shows the list to which vehicle information data base 102 isenhanced further. Not only latest information on the vehicle but alsopast information is registered in the data shown in this figure.Components 151, 152, 153, 154 designate the name of parts, the exchangeddate of the parts, the factor and the state, which broke down in thepast, respectively. These data acquires breakdown calendar and accidentcalendar of pertinent vehicle

Actually, a vehicle information data base 102 is composed by combiningthe data shown in FIG. 3 and the data shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 shows maintenance company data base 130 among information relatedto the servicing stored in memory 101. the data of each region relatedto maintenance company is filed, and includes basic items such as nameof the company 160, address 161, the closed day 162 and business hours163, etc. and reference data for search such as features 164 and thelike. When the vehicle breakdown occurs as described later, it isnecessary to introduce the vicinity and maintenance company under sales.Therefore, basic data of business hours etc. is indispensable on theaddress and the closed day.

FIG. 6 shows the situation that warning 175 of an abnormal circulatingwater temperature by the above-mentioned low coolant is displayed ondisplay 110. First of all, the data of abnormal circumstances is inputto abnormal data detection routine 170 which exists in abnormal datareporting process 121 via security Gate Way 120. Here, an abnormalvehicle is informed from abnormal data notification routine 171 in thecar on display 110, and transmitted to the service company by cellularphone 111 connected by short distance wireless network 112. In addition,abnormal data is memorized on memory card 173, 174 by abnormal storingdata routine 172. By installing two memory cards, one of two memorycards can be carried to the service company for the diagnosis inoff-line mode. However, when these functions are not achieved, twomemory cards are not necessarily needed.

To warn overheating of the engine, the water temperature gauge equippednormally is set from the report level of this embodiment to the hightemperature. Therefore, attention is considerably required to usuallyrun to maintenance company after warning is received.

In contrast, because the abnormal warning level of this embodiment forthe reporting setting level of the signal from the engine control sensorallows the driver to drive the vehicle safely, the driver may not be soanxious about driving. Moreover, a more precise break-down diagnosis canbe done by informing, and recording data to which not only abnormal databut also the deterioration of parts is shown.

The content of the processing of above-mentioned abnormal data reportingprocess 121 is shown in FIG. 19. Abnormal data detection routine 171acquires the vehicle diagnosis data from security Gate Way 120(processing 290). It is checked whether this data is an abnormal value(processing 291), and if it is a normal value, the following processingis not performed. Abnormal storing data routine 172 stores the abnormaldata on memory card 173 when judged that the vehicle diagnosis data isabnormal (processing 292). Here, the same data is stored on memory card174 when it is checked whether two memory cards exist (processing 293),and exists by two pieces (processing 294). As a result, the data ofmemory cards 173 and 174 can be always synchronized.

Here, it is checked whether processing 295 has continuously generatedabnormal data. Abnormal data notification routine 173 does not inform ofabnormal data by thinking a transitory noise when abnormal data is notcontinuously generated. It is considered that the possibility of thebreakdown generation is high at abnormal data successive generation, andnotifies the service company abnormal data through the cellular phone(processing 296). Abnormal state is displayed on the display with this(processing 297).

According to the above described structure, what can be provided is anon-vehicle breakdown-warning report system, comprising

an abnormal data detection apparatus for detecting an abnormal databased on a control data in a designated operation condition forcomponent parts forming a control system including powertrain controland vehicle control and a control data in an ordinary operationcondition;

an on-vehicle mobile data communication terminal;

an on-vehicle panel for accepting an abnormal data from said mobile datacommunication terminal and displaying a diagnostic result based on anabnormal data for said individual component parts of said controlsystem; and

a maintenance information acquisition apparatus for, when a componentpart is specified on said on-vehicle panel, sending a control data or andiagnostic data for said component part, requesting a maintenanceinformation to a maintenance agency outside a vehicle, and acquiring amaintenance information from said maintenance agency.

In addition, what can be provided is an on-vehicle breakdown-warningreport system, comprising: a break-down diagnosis apparatus foroutputting a diagnostic result based a control data in a designatedoperation condition for a control system including powertrain controland vehicle control and a control data in an ordinary operationcondition; an on-vehicle panel for displaying a diagnostic result bysaid break-down diagnosis apparatus for individual component parts ofsaid control system; and a memory apparatus for storing a control datafor individual component parts, or a diagnostic data as a diagnosticresult obtained by comparing said control data with an allowable zone;an on-vehicle mobile data communication terminal; a vehicle maintenanceselection apparatus, comprising a maintenance information acquisitionapparatus for, when a component part is specified on said on-vehiclepanel, sending a control data or an diagnostic data for said componentpart, requesting a maintenance information and an estimate for chargerequired for inspection and maintenance work to plural maintenanceagencies outside a vehicle, and acquiring a maintenance informationindividually from said plural maintenance agencies, for displayingacquired plural maintenance information and estimation information, andfor allowing a user to select a maintenance agency to which amaintenance work is ordered based displayed maintenance information andestimation information.

In addition, what can be provided is a vehicle breakdown-warning reportsystem, having a vehicle maintenance information apparatus comprising: abreak-down diagnosis apparatus for outputting a diagnostic result for acontrol system including powertrain control and vehicle control; anon-vehicle panel for displaying a diagnostic result; an on-vehiclemobile data communication terminal apparatus; and a maintenanceinformation acquisition apparatus for sending a diagnostic resultthrough said mobile data communication terminal apparatus, and forsending a request for maintenance information and a request for anestimate of maintenance work to a maintenance agency, wherein saidvehicle maintenance information apparatus acquires an answer formaintenance information and estimation information requested from saidmobile data communication terminal apparatus and obtained from pluralmaintenance information service terminals of plural maintenanceagencies, and allows a user to order a maintenance work to a selectedmaintenance agency.

FIG. 7 shows a configuration to which the processing process of theservice company which received abnormal data. That is, what is shown isthe procedure for determining an optimal selection for the user withwhich the service company can be selected for the servicing, the partprocurement, and the part replacement with an optimal charge, accordingto the break-down information sent by the user. First of all, whenabnormal data is received by way of the Internet 103, abnormal,analytical process 180 is started. Here, the received abnormal data iswritten in vehicle information data base 102 and vehicle informationdata update routine 181 is added. Break-down diagnosis routine 182 doesthe vehicle break-down diagnosis by using abnormal data, and maintenancecompany introduction routine 183 selects an optimum maintenance companyfrom the maintenance company data base 130 with respect to partsprocurement, exchange and inspection service quality and provides it tothe user. Maintenance company of best is selecting introduced frommaintenance company data base 130 (Including the part procurement andthe exchange check) to the user. In case that there are plural servicecompanies to be judged to be optimum, those are listed in a maintenanceservice company list and presented to the user. The number of selectedmaintenance service company is ordinary one, but it is allowed to listup 2 or more companies. The number of selected maintenance company isgenerally one, but it may be 2 or more. The service company performs thebreak-down diagnosis and introduces the maintenance company on theserver computer 100, and stores the resultant data separately into thevehicle information data base 102 and the maintenance company data base130 in the memory 101. To receive the commission from maintenancecompany with the user by the pretext of the maintenance fee and theintroduction fee, the service company executes introduction fee claimprocess 184 according to maintenance company.

The processing flow of abnormal analysis process 180 is shown in FIG.20. Vehicle information data update routine 181 receives abnormal datato prime through the Internet (processing 300), and, next, thecorresponding vehicle data of the vehicle information data base isretrieved (processing 301). The received abnormal data is stored at theposition where the vehicle information data base is retrieved(processing 302).

Break-down diagnosis routine 182 continuously calculates the risk of alocating fault and a pertinent breakdown from the acquired abnormal dataand acquisition by last time, and the career data of the each partsstored in the vehicle information data base (processing 303). Theobtained risk is stored in the vehicle information data base (processing304). Next, maintenance company introduction routine 183 retrievesmaintenance company which can maintain a pertinent breakdown byprocessing 305. Maintenance company possesses parts to repair apertinent breakdown, exists in outskirts of the car, and should bebusiness hours. Those data is notified to the car as a list when aplurality of corresponding maintenance company exists (processing 306).There are a charge system etc. when the servicing is done to the name ofmaintenance company and another in the address etc. by concernedmaintenance company as notified data.

The processing flow of introduction fee claim process 184 according tomaintenance company is shown in FIG. 21. When the user repairs oneselfthough maintenance company was introduced, parts might not be ordered.

Therefore, when it is checked whether the part order was done inprocessing 310, and is done the order, the introduction number tocorrespondences maintenance company is added (processing 311). Theinvoice corresponding to the introduction number is made according tothe timing such as end of the month (processing 312), and the commissionis received.

FIG. 8 is an example of operating car navigation system when the userreceives the maintenance company candidate list from the service companyby the cellular phone the order ahead. At this time, maintenance orderprocess 190 is started. When the user receives the maintenance companycandidate list from the service company through cellular phone 111 andshort distance wireless network 112 the order ahead, maintenance companydisplay routine 191 displays maintenance company list 193 on display110. The mechanic scene map is transmitted from maintenance orderprocessing routine 192 to route display process 194 when the userselects maintenance company ordering ahead from display 110, and therunning route to maintenance company is displayed. Route display process194 can use the function installed in general car navigation system. Thework schedule, the loaner car specification, and estimation can bedisplayed on display 110 simultaneously with the route to maintenancecompany.

The processing flow of maintenance order process 190 was shown in FIG.22. The maintenance company list is received from the server computer toprime by maintenance company display routine 191 (processing 320). Next,the received maintenance company list is displayed on the display(processing 321), and the user is requested to answer whether he or shegoes further to the parts ordering step (processing 322). Maintenanceorders processing routine 192 notifies maintenance company orderingahead through the cellular phone when the user orders (processing 323).Moreover, this routine 192 displays the route to correspondencemaintenance company by using the function of car navigation system (tothe display) (processing 324). When the user does not order, thisprocedure is escaped without any processing executed.

The explanation concerning a first embodiment of the present inventionis finished above. The feature of this embodiment is in the promptrecognition of the vehicle breakdown (The breakdown car) by managingdiagnosis information on the car with the server computer, and can thelead into maintenance company of outskirts. Moreover, the user canselect best maintenance company for me by not only choices of onlymaintenance company but also showing plurality of choices as mentionedabove.

Next, the second embodiment of the present invention is explained. Thesame composition as a first embodiment is not repeatedly explained. Afirst embodiment diagnosed the vehicle breakdown with the servercomputer which existed remotely. The second embodiment supports thevehicle maintenance which the user of the car does oneself. Thisembodiment corresponds again in a first embodiment when maintenancecompany ordering ahead is not selected.

FIG. 8 is a system configuration chart where maintenance manual for theuser to recover a pertinent breakdown corresponding to the vehiclebreakdown was installed. In the memory of car navigation system 109,vehicle maintenance manual 201 is installed. Maintenance manual displayprocess 200 takes out the repair manual corresponding to the vehiclebreakdown when abnormal data reporting process 121 detects the vehiclebreakdown, and repair method screen 203 is displayed on display 110. Inthe example of figure, the repair method screen 203 is displayed ondisplay 110 in response to the circulating water temperature abnormalityreport, and the procedure by which the maintenance person of the user ormaintenance company does the check exchange of the thermometer sensor isshown.

The processing flow of maintenance manual display process 200 was shownin FIG. 23. At first, the repair manual corresponding to the foundabnormally is retrieved and acquired from maintenance manual (processing330) and, next, the method of repairing a pertinent breakdown isdisplayed on the display (processing 331).

The user or the maintenance person of maintenance company can supportthe procedure by which the maintenance and repair of the vehicle is donedirectly by this embodiment.

It is necessary to install maintenance manual in car navigation systemin the second embodiment. Therefore, the problem that the memorycapacity which car navigation system needs grows is considered.Maintenance manual also achieves the method downloaded from the servercomputer in the third embodiment which shows from now on by the cellularphone, public line or the Internet. As a result, maintenance manual neednot be installed in car navigation system, and it is possible to reducein the memory capacity.

FIG. 10 shows the on-vehicle system configuration chart when the thirdembodiment is selected. The function in car navigation system is thesame as a first embodiment. Down-loading selection screen 210 isdisplayed on display 110 in figure. When breaking down, maintenancemanual which corresponds to a pertinent breakdown can be downloaded byselecting OK on this screen. The down-loading demand is notified to theserver computer through abnormal data reporting process 121 and cellularphone 111.

FIG. 11 shows the operation of the server computer 100 when receivingthe down-loading request for the maintenance manual. In maintenancemanual download process 220, maintenance manual download routine 221 andmanual charge accounting routine 222 exist. The repair manualcorresponding to abnormality is cut out in maintenance manual 201 whichexists in memory 101, and maintenance manual download routine 221 isnotified to the car where the breakdown occurs by Internet 103. It isnecessary to impose the charge corresponding to the use frequency on themanual user, and manual charge accounting program 222 is a program whichcalculates this use charge.

The processing flow of maintenance manual download process 220 is shownin FIG. 24. Maintenance manual download routine 221 retrieves the repairmanual which corresponds abnormally to prime (processing 340), and,next, notifies the breakdown car the repair manual retrieved through theInternet (processing 341). Manual charge accounting routine 222 adds themanual down-loading frequency of the owner of the breakdown car(processing 342), and collects the charge according to the manualdown-loading frequency at the end (processing 343). Can the invoice benewly issued or the manual charge be collected by the method of theaddition to the member charge etc.

FIG. 12 shows the data flow on the breakdown car after maintenancemanual is actually notified. Repair method screen 202 which maintenancemanual display process 200 accepted from cellular phone 111 is displayedon display 110.

Next, the fourth embodiment to diagnose abnormal state of the car byoff-line is explained. An abnormal value of the vehicle control data isstored on memory card 173, 174 as shown by a first embodiment. At thispoint, other memory card 174 is taken out, and can be sent to theservice company. The car can run straight even if one memory card issent, and a new, abnormal data keeps being stored on the other memorycard.

The embodiment diagnosed by off-line is shown in FIG. 13 by using othermemory card 174. Vehicle information data update routine 181 andbreak-down diagnosis routine 182 in abnormal, analytical process 180 arethe same as a first embodiment. These read directly, and diagnose thebreak-down in memory card 174 of abnormal data. The car user returnsdiagnosis result 230 with memory card 174.

Returned memory card 174 is installed in the vehicle again, and storesabnormal data. The example of inserting memory card 174 again is shownin FIG. 14. Here, there is a possibility that a new, abnormal data isstored on memory card 173 while memory card 174 is being detached.Therefore, the data copy is executed in this case by abnormal data copyprocess's 240 being started between two memory cards. As a result, thecoherence of data between two memory cards comes to be achieved again.

FIG. 25 shows the processing flow of abnormal data copy process 240. Ina process concerned, the content of memory card 173 is copied ontomemory card 174 only when it is checked whether the memory card wasnewly inserted (processing 350), and is inserted (processing 351).

It is also possible to achieve the fifth embodiment by which the usedcar is assessed by applying the fourth embodiment. The example ofcomposing the server computer when the used car assessment business wasdone to FIG. 15 was shown. Obtaining memory card 174 or the vehiclenumber starts used car assessment process 250. Breakdown calendarretrieval routine 251 retrieves the breakdown calendar and the accidentcalendar of the vehicle from data or the vehicle number in the memorycard. Vehicle assessment routine 252 outputs the amount of money of theassessment of a pertinent car by using these vehicle careers. Those whorequest the assessment return assessment data 253 to which the amount ofmoney of the assessment, the breakdown calendar, and the accidentcalendar, etc. are shown with the memory card.

The processing flow of used car assessment process 250 was shown in FIG.26. Breakdown calendar retrieval routine 251 retrieves datacorresponding to a pertinent vehicle from the vehicle information database to prime (processing 360), and, next, acquires the breakdowncalendar of a pertinent vehicle and the accident calendar (processing361). Vehicle assessment routine 252 calculates the value of each parts(processing 362), adds the price of the main body of the vehiclecalculated in the price with premium and the production fiscal year,etc. finally, and derives the assessment result (processing 363).

Next, the sixth embodiment by which the accuracy of the break-downdiagnosis is improved adding the improvement to a first embodiment isexplained. FIG. 16 is a configuration of server computer 100 whichcomposes the sixth embodiment. Running test instructin routine 260 isnewly established in abnormal, analytical process 180 in thisembodiment. Running test instructin routine 260 is a processing programwhich directs the running test pattern by which necessary data can beacquired when break-down diagnosis routine 182 cannot uniquely diagnosethe breakdown.

The processing flow of abnormal, analytical process 180 by which runningtest instructin routine 260 is installed is shown in FIG. 27. Fromprocessing 300 to the same processing 306 as first embodiment (FIG. 20)Processing 370 is inserted in break-down diagnosis routine 181, and itis checked whether the break-down diagnosis is possible according to theacquired abnormal data. If it is possible to diagnose the break-down,the same processing as a first embodiment is done. When the break-downdiagnosis is impossible, running test instructin routine 260 is started,and running pattern for acquiring the data necessary to diagnose iscalculated (processing 371). Next, the calculated running test patternis notified to the breaddown vehicle (processing 372).

The composition of car navigation system corresponding to the sixthembodiment is shown in FIG. 17. In this embodiment, running patterndisplay process 270 which displays running test pattern 271 sent by theserver computer on display 110 is installed. The car user drivesaccording to the test pattern. A new, abnormal data is notified thatabnormal data reporting process 121 detects abnormal data while drivingthe test pattern.

FIG. 28 shows the content of the processing of running pattern displayprocess 270. The running test pattern is received from the Internetthrough the cellular phone etc. (processing 380), and the test patternis displayed in the display (processing 381). It is an alternative wayinstead of displaying the pertinent test pattern on the display andallowing the automotive user to test the vehicle with the pertinent testpattern that the running pattern display process 270 performs anecessary test drive automatically. However, this alternative methodcannot be applicable in view of safety when a pertinent car is drivingon the public road. It is not possible to do.

The service company can develop various service businesses by using thevehicle information data bases collected in the embodiment of thepresent invention. Here, the direct mail print service system which usesthe vehicle information data base is explained as an example of theservice business. The system equipped with print service process 280 inFIG. 18 is shown. Maintenance company 131 is about to send direct mailto a plurality of car users for the commercial expansion. In this case,maintenance company 131 notifies the retrieval data to which the userfor the direct mail sending is shown through Internet 103. For instance((age <40 years old) & (address <23 districts in Tokyo) & (The carinspection 1 month ago)), the retrieval data is sent. Vehicleinformation retrieval routine 281 acquires vehicle informationcorresponding to the retrieved data from the vehicle information database 102.

Owner acquisition routine 282 takes out owner information on the vehiclecorresponding to acquired information, and requests direct mail printroutine 283 to print out direct mail from 284.

FIG. 29 is processing flow of print service process 280. The vehiclelist corresponding to the retrieval data is acquired vehicle informationretrieval routine's 281 retrieving the vehicle information data base toprime (processing 390), and continuously (processing 391). Owneracquisition routine 282 acquires the owner list of the retrieved vehicle(processing 392), obtains the owner's name next, and the list of theaddress is obtained (processing 393). Finally, the charges according tothe number of prints is processed for the maintenance company which hasbeen being requested (processing 395) while direct mail print routine283 prints mail on those who have each place (processing 394).

Finally, information in the present invention and the flow of money areshown in FIG. 30. The suppliers of information and money in the presentinvention include service company 400, user 401, automaker 402, non-lifeinsurance company 403, private company 404, and maintenance company 405.Service company 400, user 401, and maintenance company 405 useeverything of FIG. 29 from FIG. 1 and the main component of the systemwhich explains. The service company receives fee 411 from the user, andwhen breaking down, does dissemination 410 such as maintenance company.

Here, choices that fee 411 is free are possible, too. That is, theservice company is a method of earning the income by the introductionfee etc. Obtained from maintenance company etc. The relation between theservice company and maintenance company consists of information sales415 (maintenance company introduction to the user) and the introductionfee money 414 as mentioned above. When the member introduced by theservice company does the maintenance order to correspondence maintenancecompany, maintenance company pays introduction fee money 414. Moreover,the relation same as the current state of paying maintenance money 413to servicing 412 is approved among maintenance company 405 and users401. It is the explained one in FIG. 29 from FIG. 1 of the presentinvention above in brief the explained relation.

Automaker 402 and private company 404 besides these can join. Automaker402 and private company 404 can respectively receive dissemination 421,423 by investing in the establishment of service company 400 420, 422.Acquired information is used to offer service to an individual customerin automaker and a private company. Automaker 402 buys the on-vehiclediagnostic system which shows to FIG. 1 from service company 400 again419. This system is installed in the car merchandized by the automotivecompany or its auto dealers, and sold to the user 417. The payment forthe car sales 417 is passed from the user to the automaker, and thepayment for the purchase 419 of the on-vehicle diagnostic system passedfrom the automaker to the service company.

Finally, it is added that non-life insurance company 406 can participateas another component of this system. That is, it is also possible thatthis on-vehicle remote diagnostic system is not only a diagnosis of thevehicle breakdown but also does an urgent report at the accident.Dissemination 424 at the accident can be done from the service companyto non-life insurance company by using this. Non-life insurance companyinvests in the service company or pays money 425 to an individualdissemination. Non-life insurance company does insurance contract 427 toan individual user, and receives contract money 426. As non-lifeinsurance company which participates in this system can receive thedissemination at the accident, they can easily do the accident analysis.Moreover, the user comes also to bear a safer drive in mind whenrecognizing that a on-vehicle remote diagnostic system can be used toprocess the accident. Insurance can be relatively discounted from theseeffects, and the user, non-life insurance company, and the advantage fortri-party of the service company are caused.

The service company entered between the user and maintenance company byusing the drawing, and the business model by which the breakdownmeasures and the maintenance estimation were supported was explainedabove. In this case, the charge which the user bears by this newly lyingbetween dealings in the organization which did not exist so far improvesor the margin of maintenance company decreases to the service company.If motor vehicle department gate of car dealer or principal occupationmaintenance company rationalizes the business with this break-downdiagnosis software so far, the user also is few the reactionary of thecharge improvement or has the possibility to make to 0. In this case,the above-mentioned service company will integrate with maintenancecompany.

Anyway, it is necessary to buy new software, and allocate the employeewho takes charge of the break-down diagnosis and the maintenanceestimation by the personal computer. However, the cost as the whole canbe decreased by concentrating the break-down diagnosis and the used carassessment, etc. Which have been distributed to each maintenance companyand the used car sales companies so far and doing. Moreover, it is alsopossible to develop a new business to serve the direct mail print asshown at the end of the embodiment.

It is useful for the foresight diagnosis before break-down of majorcomponent parts, because the break-down diagnosis always monitors theoperation of principal part goods of the vehicle, the change point ofoperation is caught, and abnormal data is recorded according to thepresent invention. Concretely, the precautious report is issued to theuser before break-down accompanied with severe running break-down andthus, the driver can take such an effective and saver action that he shecan drive the vehicle by itself without help of a towing truck even inan emergency operation.

In addition, the maintenance can be ordered with an optimum charge bycomparing the estimates from several companies.

1. (canceled)
 2. An on-vehicle breakdown-warning report system, wherein:diagnostic data indicative of an occurrence of break-down detected arecollected and are judged based on a signal in an electronic controlsystem or a diagnosis display system installed on a control apparatus,for an engine ignition system, a charging system, an engine fuel system,an engine cooling system, a power transmission system, and an oillubricating system of an automobile; said diagnostic data and a currentposition are sent to an information terminal of a plurality of vehiclediagnosis and maintenance agencies, or to a service company having aplurality of diagnosis and maintenance agencies as a contentsinformation, via an on-vehicle mobile communication apparatus, and abreak-down diagnosis is requested; a running pattern to acquire dataused for the break-down diagnosis based on said diagnostic data isreceived from said diagnosis and maintenance agencies, and is displayed;and a running test according to the running pattern is instructed to auser.
 3. A break-down diagnosis and maintenance diagnosis system for avehicle, wherein: control data for a powertrain and vehicle controlsystem in a designated operation condition is compared with an allowablezone for a normal operation condition; when a break-down diagnosticprocessing program installed in the vehicle provides a diagnostic reportindicating that the control data is located outside said allowable zone,the break-down diagnostic processing program outputs diagnostic datarecording a history reaching an abnormal data; the diagnostic data istransmitted to a server via a mobile data communication terminal; andwhen it is not possible to perform the break-down diagnosis based on thereceived diagnostic data in said server, a running test pattern isproduced to collect data for the break-down diagnosis, and istransmitted to said vehicle to instruct the running test.
 4. A serversystem for receiving and processing data through a network or a publiccircuit, wherein: the server system includes a vehicle information database for storing diagnostic data received from a wireless communicationsystem installed on a vehicle, and judges whether it is possible toperform a break-down diagnosis based on past and present diagnosticdata; and if it is not possible to perform the break-down diagnosis, arunning test pattern is produced to collect data for break-downdiagnosis, and is transmitted to said vehicle to instruct the runningtest.
 5. An on-vehicle breakdown-warning report system, comprising: anabnormal data detection apparatus for detecting abnormal data based on acontrol data in a designed operation condition for component partsforming a control system including powertrain control and vehiclecontrol and a control data in an ordinary operation condition; anon-vehicle mobile data communication terminal; a maintenance informationacquisition apparatus for sending a control data or a diagnostic datafor said component part, requesting a maintenance information to amaintenance agency outside a vehicle, and acquiring a maintenanceinformation from the maintenance agency, when the abnormal data isdetected by said abnormal data detection apparatus; and when a runningtest pattern is received to collect data for a break-down diagnosisproduced by the maintenance agency, the running test pattern isdisplayed to instruct the running test.